Ants, Ants EVERYWHERE!

[Marks256]

We just discovered, to our horror, that we have ants in the house. They are little sugar ants, about 1mm long, and about .25mm high. They are every where in the kitchen. They got in our cupboards, and ruined all the food. They even broke the seal to all of the sealed food! Any advice on the to get rid of the dirty little bastards? Electronic or not, we need them GONE!

 

[_nox_]

everything is a ******* for you, isn't it ?
try symbiosis

 

[HarveyH42]

everything is a ******* for you, isn't it ?
try symbiosis

Well, they are of questionable parentage...

You'll need to follow them and see how they are getting in/out, you'll need to fix that. A thin paste of equal parts Borax (laundry isle, 20 Mule team...) and powdered sugar in enough. Place small containers of the mixture where they can get at it. Works on most similar type insects, interferes with their ability to absorb water. I don't think Borax is particularly toxic to people or pets, but might limit access just in case.

 

[Marks256]

everything is a ******* for you, isn't it ?

Now this is unfair. I have only said the word twice ever since i have been here. As of right now, i have 247 posts, and i have said it twice, so 247*(2/247) = .8%. I have said the work .8% of the time i have been here. Just because i called ants and cheaters bastards, doesn't mean i call everything a *******.

You'll need to follow them and see how they are getting in/out, you'll need to fix that. A thin paste of equal parts Borax (laundry isle, 20 Mule team...) and powdered sugar in enough. Place small containers of the mixture where they can get at it. Works on most similar type insects, interferes with their ability to absorb water. I don't think Borax is particularly toxic to people or pets, but might limit access just in case.

That sounds great. Could you give me more information, please? I searched for Borax on Google, we found some Boric Acid in the medicine cabinet. Will that work? It is a pill, so would water have to be added?

 

[dknguyen]

i call everything a *******.

Now, THAT is misleading and unfair lol- Taking quotes out of context.

 

[HiTech]

Spectracide Bug Stop works very well is preventing their spread as well as their return. You can find it at the home improvement centers or Wal Mart. For now, if you simply spray Windex or any other amonia based cleaner on them, they will die right in their tracks. You then mop them up and spray the Spectracide around the baseboards and cabinets. Sugar ants seek out food crumbs so you should be taking measures to prevent luring them in the first place. The weather has been hot lately and that has them crawling about. The Bug Stop is effective in preventing spiders in basements and I often spary it around the entrance doors to my home so they critters stay out. They won't cross that invisible barrier and it lasts for many weeks.
**broken link removed**

 

[MikeHibbett]

I find pouring boiling water down the holes where they come from works a treat. A lot cheaper, and more environmentally friendly. Unless you are an ant, of course ;o)

 

[moody07747]

I find pouring boiling water down the holes where they come from works a treat. A lot cheaper, and more environmentally friendly. Unless you are an ant, of course ;o)

also sounds like a great way to warp any and all wood you get the water on...

call a pro in for this ant thing or look them up online and set traps where they are comming in and out from

 

[HiTech]

Like I hinted at earlier, a clean kitchen doesn't draw insects. Food cartons can be placed in Rubbermaid or Tupperware type containers that cannot be breached by insects. Presently, his doorbell is being rung by a pregnant cockroach as you read this.

 

[Marks256]

We already spray Windex at them. I don't want to put boiling water down the holes! The point of a house is to keep moisture OUT, not in. Also, we aren't sure where they are coming in from. Until then, we better buy some more Windex.....

 

[ThermalRunaway]

Like I hinted at earlier, a clean kitchen doesn't draw insects. Food cartons can be placed in Rubbermaid or Tupperware type containers that cannot be breached by insects. Presently, his doorbell is being rung by a pregnant cockroach as you read this.

I think that's a bit of an unfair statement to make. Just because your kitchen has become over-run by insects, doesn't mean it's dirty! Insects are more likely to be attracted to the food than anything else, which is a place the kitchen normally has plenty of.

I'd hate to be in Mark's position - it'd be horrible to open your cupboards and find that ants have been at all your food. What can you really trust to be clean after that? I think I'd have to junk the lot.

Those ants have gotta go Mark! It's you or them!

Brian

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I'd hate to be in Mark's position - it'd be horrible to open your cupboards and find that ants have been at all your food. What can you really trust to be clean after that? I think I'd have to junk the lot.

No problem! - ants are a good source of protein!

 

[ThermalRunaway]

Hmmm. I wonder how many ants you'd have to eat in order to satisfy your hunger. Quite a lot I would think. And, you'd probably use more energy chewing at the little tiny ants than you would get from eating them - so it'd be a great weight losing exercise.

Brian

 

[_nox_]

Hmmm. I wonder how many ants you'd have to eat in order to satisfy your hunger. Quite a lot I would think. And, you'd probably use more energy chewing at the little tiny ants than you would get from eating them - so it'd be a great weight losing exercise.

no because you can chew 100-200 (dead ones) at once...

 

[HarveyH42]

http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/3

http://www.thebestcontrol.com/bugstop/control_ant.htm

 

[Marks256]

I think that's a bit of an unfair statement to make. Just because your kitchen has become over-run by insects, doesn't mean it's dirty! Insects are more likely to be attracted to the food than anything else, which is a place the kitchen normally has plenty of.

I'd hate to be in Mark's position - it'd be horrible to open your cupboards and find that ants have been at all your food. What can you really trust to be clean after that? I think I'd have to junk the lot.

Those ants have gotta go Mark! It's you or them!

Brian

Yes, there was quite a bit of food tossed. I had to have pizza for lunch. I hate warming up the oven, it makes the house get very hot. It is 85f outside right now, and 75f in the house. I think my mom is going to pick up some borax. Or i guess my dad will have to get a small bottle of propane. Cook the little SOB's....

 

[HiTech]

I think that's a bit of an unfair statement to make. Just because your kitchen has become over-run by insects, doesn't mean it's dirty! Insects are more likely to be attracted to the food than anything else, which is a place the kitchen normally has plenty of.
Brian

No, it's a fair and factual statement. I have food in pantry cupboards... even cereal and cracker boxes, pasta and rice boxes that are not in sealed food containers and thus far, no ants. The issue is to prevent them from entering the home in the first place by setting up a chemical barrier at potential entry points. I can guarantee that if I had sugar grains or crumbs that accidently made their way to the floor and they got neglected, there'd be ants or bugs of sorts sniffing them out. There's always the possibility of bugs being brought in to the home from the grocery store and is likely the case when a kitchen is spotlessly clean. Just 2 weeks ago I opened up a brand new bag of dog food and 4 small moths flew out with many more crawling inside it. I quickly closed the bag, closed the doors to the storage room to quarantine them, then zapped them using my HV flyswatter. Problem solved and I returned the bag to the store for an exchange. The moths likely got in there from the factory... which isn't surprising!

 

[_nox_]

Dusty, you could try to speak to them... take one and start a conversation.
Ants love to negotiate.

 

[HiTech]

With a name like Dusty, he could sprinkle some SEVIN dust around the doorway entrances and they'll stay away until high winds or rain eventually removes it.

 

[Marks256]

With a name like Dusty, he could sprinkle some SEVIN dust around the doorway entrances and they'll stay away until high winds or rain eventually removes it.

You know, you could be a stand-up comic. Just kidding. That joke is so old, it isn't funny anymore.

They haven't been around lately. I think their numbers took a hit. We are ready for round two, though.... We have a crap load of chemicals now. Mohaaa!